Top talent is hard to find. It is especially hard to find when candidates have a negative experience with your company. The candidates have shown an interest in working for you. They like what they see and are considering becoming a part of it.  All that can change with the blink of an eye if candidates feel they have been treated poorly. Candidates that have negative experiences with you and your company may be more willing to leave a bad review on Indeed, Glassdoor, etc., warning other potential candidates to stay away.

All candidates want to be treated with respect. The better their experience, the more likely they are to pursue a position in your office. This is why you need to create a positive candidate experience for anyone applying to your office. Treat them as if they were your best customer because you never know….they could be.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Introduction email and/or call
This will let the candidate know the next steps in the interview process, such as completing an assessment. 

Here is an example of a welcome email:

Hi (Candidate Name)

Thank you for applying to (Your business name). We are excited to have you move on to the next step in the interview process, which is to complete an online assessment. The assessment link is located in the 2nd email sent to you. You must complete the assessment to move on to the next step. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (your phone number and email).

Thank You,
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2. Rejection Email
Rejecting a candidate can be hard. However, if you choose not to move forward with a candidate, a rejection email needs to be sent in a timely fashion. 45% of candidates don’t hear back from the company they applied to and are left wondering what happened. 

Here is an example of a rejection email:

Hi (Candidate Name)

Thank you for your interest in joining the (business name) team. We wanted to let you know that although your resume is competitive, our hiring team reviewed your application and did not select it for further consideration.

We will, however, keep your resume on record and get in touch with you about future opportunities that may be a better fit for your skills and experience.

We wish you all the best in your job search and hope we will have the chance to consider you for another role in the future.

Regards,

(Your name/business name)

3. Confirmation email
When setting up an interview with a candidate, keep them informed of what will happen during the interview. Send them a confirmation email with the address, date, and time of the interview and any other information that might be useful.

Here is an example of a confirmation email:

Hi (Name)

It was a pleasure speaking with you.  We look forward to meeting with you face to face on 8/4/2018 at 11 am at 123 Everywhere, Anywhere, MI 48362.  

We are in the Any Time Plaza, next door to Always Boutique.  There is ample parking. Please ask for me when you come into the office.

Our interview will be approximately 30-60 minutes.  You will be speaking with me and members of our staff.  If you are not able to come in or need to reschedule, please contact me. Not contacting us for cancellations or reschedules could affect future applications.

We look forward to meeting with you.
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4. Interest in the Candidate
If part of your interview process is to send the candidate away to think about the position offered, let the candidate know you are sincerely interested in them so there is no confusion on whether or not you want to hire them pending their decision.  
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5. Checking In
If the candidate needs to obtain special licensing (e.g. Property and Casualty License) before working in your office, make sure to check in with them at least once per week to find out about their progress.  
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Candidates want and deserve better communication from potential employers.  Not only will you stand out from other potential employers the candidate is seeking out, but by communicating with your candidates you will be protecting your brand and overall company rating footprint. 

If you have any additional questions regarding this article please feel free to reach out, we are here to help.

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